A technique for forming transistors using a semiconductor thin film formed over a substrate having an insulating surface has attracted attention. The transistor is applied to a wide range of electronic devices such as an integrated circuit (IC) or an image display device (display device). As a semiconductor thin film applicable to the transistor, a silicon based semiconductor material is widely known for example; moreover, an oxide semiconductor has been attracting attention as another material.
For example, a transistor whose active layer includes an amorphous oxide including indium (In), gallium (Ga), and zinc (Zn) is disclosed (see Patent Document 1).
Transistors including oxide semiconductors have on-state characteristics (on-state current) superior to those of transistors including amorphous silicon. In order to apply the transistors including oxide semiconductors to high-performance devices, such transistors are required to have further improved characteristics, and thus techniques of crystallization of oxide semiconductors have been developed (see Patent Document 2). In Patent Document 2, a technique in which an oxide semiconductor is crystallized by heat treatment is disclosed.